Posts Categorized: Art

So, last weekend, I decided, finally, to start watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, after years of being pestered by my best friend. I threw a quick question out on twitter, asking for opinions on the show and was inundated by positive responses, some of which came from my favourite Fantasy authors. I couldn’t say no after that. I’m nearing the end of the first season now, and I’m thrilled by the show. It’s beautiful, it breaks down stereotypes, features an ethnically diverse cast, and manages to be thematically strong with both broad and narrow brushes.

So, to celebrate my discovery, and maybe encourage you to give the show a shot this weekend, I’ve gathered together a gallery of some of my favourite art from Avatar: The Last Airbender (and The Legend of Korra, its sequel) in a nice little gallery.

Have you watched Avatar: The Last Airbender? If so, what do you think of it? How are you enjoying The Legend of Korra?

Internet sleuths, generally being videogame enthusiasts on the side, have unearthed the first images of Destiny, the first game developed by Bungie since they handed the reins of the mega-popular Halo series to 343 Industries. While not gameplay or in-engine screenshots, this collection of concept art is gorgeous and gives fans a good idea of what they might expect from Destiny, an MMORPG for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Read More »

Not too shabby. I like that they’ve included a woman on the cover (presumably Inevra) without over-sexualizing her. There’s a nice amount of energy, equal to The Desert Spear, and you can never go wrong with a bold red/black colour palette. The dice are a little cheezy, but they’re important to the series, so I’ll let them pass. Worth noting, this cover was debuted by Entertainment Weekly, a large mainstream publication, rather than a genre blog, website or publication, a vote of confidence for Del Rey, Brett and the success of this series.

Okay, so maybe you’ve seen a full map of Arda before, but it’s always fun to find a new look at an old favourite. This map really helps to put into perspective the journeys of Frodo and Bilbo, showing that they trek over only a small portion of the entirety of Middle Earth and Arda itself. Like any Fantasy fan, I’m always curious to see what lays beyond the edges of those maps we’re all so familiar with from our countless reads and re-reads of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. From what I understand, this map isn’t entirely accurate, but it’s still fun to peruse.

There’s a lot of evidence that Arda is the same planet we live on, in a different age, and this map showcases some ways in which Middle-Earth and the Undying Lands might eventually become the continents we know today. Or, alternatively, England and Ireland, depending on scale. I also love seeing the ice bridge connecting the northern portions of the two islands/continents.

Hopefully this helps whet your appetite for the upcoming release of The Hobbit, just a few weeks away!